Unitary piercing punch device

ABSTRACT

A unitary piercing punch device, adapted to provide piercing and aperture cutout operations on a length of material such as a formed metal sheet, and which further provides for retention of the cutout slug in the punch on disassociation of the elements to enable simplified removal thereof.

United States Patent 1151 3,683,499 Robinson, Jr. [4 1 Aug. 15, 1972 1 UNITARY PIERCING PUNCH DEVICE 2,145,725 1/1939 Jamieson ..30/360 X 72 Inventor; Arthur Robinson 5 me 1| 2,202,513 5/1940 Benner ..30/36l 1 e 3,105,299 10/1963 Winanen ..30/360 [73] Assignee: Makrite, Inc., Middlesex, NJ. p m 1' E Condo" [22] Filed: Aug, 7, 1970 Assistant Examiner-J. C. Peters 1 pp 62 059 Attorney-Somme1s8z Sommers [57] ABSTRACT A unimy piercing punch device adapted to provide Q 0 v e u n n I u I n u I I n u o v n n e I u I I n Q u n a n u I n n n n I v o e I n a [58] Field of Search ..30/358, 360, 361, 366,367 material such as a formed metal sheet, and which further provides for retention of the cutout slug in the [56] References Cited punch on disassociation of the elements to enable sim- UNITED STATES PATENTS Plified removal thereofl,540,860 6/1925 Pobanz ..30/360 X 2 Clains, 5 Drawing Figures M i 7 ll A 330. .92 1 59 Patented Aug. 15, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet l I NV EN'T OR.

ARTHUR H. ROBINSON JR.

M 9 mm ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 15, 1972 3,683,499

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 liY ,4nvmb'u VJfMLW ATTORNEYS UNITARY PIERCING PUNCH DEVICE BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates generally to punch apertureforming devices, and more specifically relates to a unitary piercing punch device which provides a unitary construction for piercing a formed length of sheet metal or other similar material and coordinated therewith formation of an aperture cutout by interaction of the members thereof, which cutout is retained in the punch members thereof to enable simplified removal on disassociation.

Pursuant to the invention, the unitary piercing punch device may be operated conveniently and efficiently, to enable a unitary operation on a length of material such as a formed length of sheet metal to provide efficient aperture cutout formation therein.

In accordance with the foregoing, it may be regarded as among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel unitary device for coordinated operation on a length of sheet material to initiate piercing and to provide cooperating aperture cutout formation therein, to be utilized for example in forming a downspout aperture in a length of roof gutter for insertion of a downspout cup therein.

Now in accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objects and others as will become apparent in the course of the ensuing specification are achieved through use of a unitary piercing punch device operable, as will be described below, so that piercing of the length of material is initiated thereby and in a cooperating operation forms an aperture cutout therein which is retained for simplified removal thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is diagrammatically illustrated, by way of example, in the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational, partly cross-sectional view of the unitary piercing punch device embodying the invention, shown in operation on a sheet of material;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the punch member, pursuant to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the punch member taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the punch member taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the unitary piercing punch device of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In accordance with the preferred mode of practicing the invention, the unitary piercing punch device 11 (FIGS. 1 and 5) for example, comprises a handle piercing member 12 and cooperating punch means 13, which are shown operating on a sheet of material M in FIG. 1, as in formation of a sheet metal cutout in a length of gutter for insertion of a downspout cup therein. The handle piercing member 12 (FIGS. 1 and 5), for example comprises a longitudinal shaft which consists of a lower shaft portion 21 thereof which is of generally smaller diameter than upper shaft portion 22 thereof, said lower shaft portion 21 comprising a piercing tip 23 on the lowermost end thereof and a threaded portion 24 extending thereabove for a portion of the length of said lower shaft portion, with a cutting edge 27 extending generally between said piercing tip 23 and the threaded portion 24, said upper shaft portion 22 comprising a handle portion 25 on the upper portion thereof with extending arm portions 26 projecting therefrom.

The cooperating punch means 13 comprises, for example, a punch member 30 and die member 31. The punch member 30 (FIGS. 1-5) comprises a generally cup shaped member with an arcuate cutting edge 32 in the upper interior portion thereof which has projecting cutting tips 33a, 33b at opposing tip portions thereof, and further comprises recess portions 34 and a central bore 35 extending therethrough with interior threads 36 which co-operate with the threaded portion 24 of said handle piercing member 12. The die member 31 (FIGS. 1 and 5) comprises an inverted cup shaped cooperating member 37 with an extending top portion 38 and a central bore 39 extending therethrough for guidance and retention of said handle piercing member 12 therein.

In operation (FIG. 1), for example, the handle piercing member 12 is placed centrally at the point where the aperture cutout center is to be located on the sheet of material. Rotational force is then applied to the handle portion 25 thereof by movement of the extending arm portions 26 or otherwise, to thereby initiate formation of the aperture A; upon initiation of the aperture the handle may be removed and placed in the die member central bore 39 and the two members may then be placed over the aperture A with the piercing tip 23 inserted therein. Upon further application of rotational force to the handle piercing member 12, the cutting edge 27 shapes a larger and larger aperture A to the point where the aperture A is of diameter sufficient for the threaded portion 24 to move therethrough; upon further rotational force applied the threaded portion projects through the material M to a point where such extension is sufiicient to enable interaction with the interior threads 36 of punch member 30, at which point the punch member 30 is threaded to the handle member 12; rotational force is then applied to the punch member 30 with the handle piercing member 12 being held fixed to enable piercing bythe projecting cutting tips 33a, 33b of the punch member, and further cutout operation upon further rotation is provided by the cutting edge 32 thereof, until the completed aperture cutout C has been formed in the material M. Upon further rotation of the handle member, the smooth handle portion immediately above the threaded portion 24 projects through the aperture A and is of a slightly larger diameter than the threads thereof; thereupon, reverse rotational force applied to the handle portion 25 enables the smooth movement through the aperture A of the lower shaft portion 21 and once said portion is disengaged from the interior threads 36 of the punch member 30, the handle piercing member 12 can be easily removed from the die member 31 and the aperture cutout C will be retained in the interior recess portions 34 of the punch 30, such that it can be easily removed from the punch member on disassociation thereof.

By virtue of the unitary construction of the piercing punch device of this invention, the operator can, with a single unit, initiate the aperture cut and form the complete cutout in a simplified and efficient operation conveniently and without the necessity for external initiating steps and thereby assure the accuracy of the device by virtue thereof.

While the present invention has been particularly set forth in terms of specific embodiments thereof, it will be evident in view of the instant disclosure, that numerous variations upon the invention are now enabled to those skilled in the art, which variations in propriety are yet within the true scope of this teaching. Accordingly, the invention is to be broadly construed, and limited only by the scope and spirit of the claims now appended hereto.

lclaim:

l. A unitary piercing punch device, for coordinated piercing of a sheet of metal and forming of an aperture cutout therein, comprising:

a. a handle piercing member, for piercing said metal and initiating aperture cutout operations,

b. cooperating punch means, for formation of the aperture cutout in said metal sheet in cooperation with said handle piercing member,

c. said cooperating punch means comprising a punch member, with an arcuate cutting edge, and cooperating die handle guide member, interacting to form said metal cutout and further providing guidance for said handle piercing member, and

d. said handle piercing member comprising a longitudinal shaft having an upper shaft portion, a piercing tip, and a cutting edge extending above said piercing tip.

2. In a unitary piercing punch device as described in claim 1, said punch member comprising a cup shaped member with said a arcuate cutting edge having cutting tips at opposing tip portions thereof, and recess portions in the interior top portion thereof, and a central bore extending therethrough with interior threads which cooperate with threaded portions on said handle piercing member. 

1. A unitary piercing punch device, for coordinated piercing of a sheet of metal and forming of an aperture cutout therein, comprising: a. a handle piercing member, for piercing said metal and initiating aperture cutout opeRations, b. cooperating punch means, for formation of the aperture cutout in said metal sheet in cooperation with said handle piercing member, c. said cooperating punch means comprising a punch member, with an arcuate cutting edge, and cooperating die handle guide member, interacting to form said metal cutout and further providing guidance for said handle piercing member, and d. said handle piercing member comprising a longitudinal shaft having an upper shaft portion, a piercing tip, and a cutting edge extending above said piercing tip.
 2. In a unitary piercing punch device as described in claim 1, said punch member comprising a cup shaped member with said a arcuate cutting edge having cutting tips at opposing tip portions thereof, and recess portions in the interior top portion thereof, and a central bore extending therethrough with interior threads which cooperate with threaded portions on said handle piercing member. 